The search is on

Use networking sites to find jobs, internships

Samantha Shuford, a third-year operations and supply chain major, held an internship
at Volvo North American Truck Headquarters this summer.

The reason we’re here in college is to get an education, an education that will be
valuable enough in the real world to help us get a job after graduation. However,
finding a job or internship today is different from what it was a few years ago. Today,
it’s all about networking and using technology to help connect to the next employer.
To figure out which platform is best for your job hunt we’ve highlighted the similarities
and differences between two of the biggest job sites used by students, LinkedIn and
Handshake.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a professional social media platform that has a vast network of users
that allow people to connect and find jobs. People and companies connect to each other
through their profiles and “link” each other to the next job opportunity.

Because it’s well known by employers, there are also more jobs to choose from on this
site. The LinkedIn homepage promotes that 25 million profiles are viewed daily by
businesses looking to hire, so your chances are pretty good that you’ll be seen. Profiles
by companies will also display how many Gamecocks work there to make an easy connection.

However, this site is not limited to students or young alums. It’s more competitive,
featuring serious professionals and adults who have more experience, making it harder
for younger participants to break through.

It also cost money to get the full version, and money is something most college students
don’t have much of, and requires more upkeep with hashtags and user feeds to maintain.

Scotty Gavlin, a fourth-year broadcast journalism major, was an intern at Seacrest
Studios this summer at Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Handshake

Handshake is job searching site free to all UofSC students, all you do is activate
your account with your network login. It also is very student-friendly and sends notifications
about upcoming career fairs, offering on-campus interviews and optional GPA input.

Because most of Handshake’s users are student or young alumni, job postings and businesses
on this site are more focused on these groups. You can also select the kinds of jobs
you’re looking for and where you’d like to be located to help narrow down postings.
You can also see reviews from other students about working at a specific organization
and how many other UofSC students have worked there.

Most jobs are also normally one-click apply, a function also offered on LinkedIn,
which means it sends your information and appropriate documentation from Handshake
to the job posting for you. It will then let you know whether your application has
been seen, if the employer wants to schedule an interview or even if your application
has been rejected.

Students must upload all their own documents like cover letters, resumes and portfolios
to the website. The Career Center will need to approve uploads, but students can visit
the center to get permission to upload without the review. Also, if your documents
are rejected there is usually a reason why, and the Career Center will work with you
to get them to a better quality and approved.

Keep in mind that Handshake is not as well known as LinkedIn, but is a growing platform
that is a good starting point to get used to for joining other networking sites like
LinkedIn. Your best bet may be to have an account on both sites. After all, casting
a wider net can yield more fish.